Do you own a car or worse, a SUV? Do you need to commute to your work daily? Is the rising price of gas giving you (and everyone around you) the blues?

Rejoyce for an alternative exists!

This alternative doesn’t feed on gas so your wallet will love the rest of this story. Sporting a bizarre, made-up name, the Segway is a human transporter. This means you just strap a safety helmet, hop on the thing and zip to your next destination.

The Segway, invented by Dean Kamen, is intended for a variety of uses, such as:

• Recreational
• Commutes
• Golf
• Police and security
• Government

…and perhaps even the transport industry. Why? Because transport companies all over the world operate facilities which can span great distances and most of the time, the land surfacing is compatible with a vehicle such as the Segway.

Just imagine the whopping economy in fuel that transports and logistics companies can save by making a few Segways available on their premises. Add to that the amount of time people save for getting from one place to another and you start to see a brighter picture for the future of human mobility, at such facilities.

In the manufacturer’s own words:

“The Segway Human Transporter is the first transportation product to stand, balance, and move in the same way we do. It harnesses a unique technology called “dynamic stabilization”–the result of more than a decade of research, development and testing, and tens of thousands of hours in field trials–to constantly monitor and balance the Segway HT and rider.

The Segway HT allows riders to travel short distances in dense environments that would be prohibitive to other transportation devices. An amazingly elegant design makes the Segway HT a part of you, sensing subtle changes in your balance and responding immediately. The Segway HT has a level of maneuverability never before seen on wheels–it can balance in place, move forwards and backwards, and turn in place.

Purchase of a Segway HT includes a training session on its operation and features, in order to properly prepare a new rider for safe and enjoyable operation of this new technology.”

The rising cost of fossil fuel forces us to find alternative ways to move around and although a Segway won’t replace an airplane, a commercial ship, a truck or a train, it’s a viable solution for individual transportation that could open the way for more robust counterparts, over time.

Tags: segway, local commutes, human transporter, alternative transport, fossil fuel, safety helmet

The Library at the University of California, in Berkeley, has compiled an extensive collection of yesterday’s futuristic transportation designs.

All those who remember Popular Science’s depictions of commuters buzzing around in tiny aircrafts and landing on rooftops or even fanciful drawings of vehicles that run on roads, float on water and also take to the air will love the following commented image galleries:

• Automotive
• Commercial aviation
• Ground effect machines
• Helicopters
• Intelligent transportation systems
• Maritime
• Monorails
• Oddities (very cool)
• Personal rapid transit
• Pneumatic transportation
• Supersonic transport

If you’re a fan of futuristic transportation means, this online exhibit will fuel your imagination and perhaps even inspire you into evolving nowadays transportation world.

Tags: historic transportation, innovations, rapid transit, pneumatic, supersonic, monorails, commercial aviation

Freight transportation is a key concern of the US Department of Transportation and nearly every operating administration listed in DOT Agencies.

The following major web pages at DOT are entirely dedicated to freight transportation on the American territory:

• Framework for a National Freight Policy
• National Freight Statistics and Maps
• Freight Information by State
• National Freight Data Sources

• Freight at the Bureau of Transportation Statistics
• Freight at the National Transportation Library
• Freight Analysis, Professional Development, Intermodal Technology, and SAFETEA-LU Freight Programs at the Federal Highway Administration
• Freight Planning at the Federal Highway Administration
• Freight at the Federal Railroad Administration

• The Transportation of Hazardous Materials
• Pipeline Safety

If you feel these links don’t answer all your freight-related questions, you can write to the US Department of Transportation using this freight-specific e-mail address: freight@dot.gov.

Tags: freight, transportation, us, dot, safety, hazmat, highways, railroads, american, agencies

The US transportation system is essential to the growth of the Nation. As such, it’s essential that the latest traffic and road closure information be made available to all companies and individuals who need to take important routing decisions, often in real-time.

The following link collection is inspired by the one made available by the US Federal Highway Administration and are intended to be a quick reference you can easily access.

Individual US States information:

Alabama Alaska Arizona Arkansas California Colorado Connecticut Delaware Florida Georgia Hawaii Idaho Illinois Indiana Iowa Kansas Kentucky Louisiana Maine Maryland Massachusetts Michigan Minnesota Mississippi Missouri Montana Nebraska Nevada New Hampshire New Jersey New Mexico New York North Carolina North Dakota Ohio Oklahoma Oregon Pennsylvania Puerto Rico Rhode Island South Carolina South Dakota Tennessee Texas Utah Vermont Virginia Washington State Washington, D.C. West Virginia Wisconsin Wyoming

National information links related to various themes.

Construction related:

• Rand McNally Construction Information for North America

Weather / road conditions related:

• AccuWeather Travel Weather
• AccuWeather Weather Headlines
• Intellicast Travel Weather, including DriveCast
• National Weather Service
• National Weather Service Interactive Weather Information Network
• RoadWeather.com Road Surface Conditions and Travel Weather
• Safe Travel USA – Weather and Road Conditions for the Upper Midwest
• Travel Cities Weather
• USA Today Weather Forecasts Along Interstate Highways
• Weather Channel Travel Weather

Traffic conditions information:

• AccuTraffic – Traffic information for States
• Beat the Traffic Information for various US cities
• Iteris Real-Time Traffic Information, maps and times – for various US cities
• Metrocommute Traffic Information
• MSN Traffic Reports
• Road Summit Travel information for various US locations
• Road Watch America
• Search Beat Traffic and Weather Web Links
• SmarTraveler – Traffic information for various major US cities
• Smart-Traveler Information for various US cities
• Traffic.com – Traffic information for US cities
• TrafficOnline – Personalized, route-specific, real time traffic information
• Travel Advisory News Network (TANN) – Traffic conditions for various cities
• TravelForecast.com – United States road and traffic conditions
• Yahoo! Traffic Views – Traffic conditions for various cities

Regional information links:

• I-95 Corridor Coalition Traveler Information
• I-95 Travelers Alert (from Starsystems)
• Midwest Road Conditions from the National Weather Service (CO, IL, IN, IA, KS, MN, MO, NE, ND, SD, WI, WY)

State Departments of Transportation:

• All State DOTs

More information, including the 511 service, is made available on this page at the Federal Highway Administration, which is a branch of the US Department of Transportation.

Tags: traffic, us, dot, safety, transportation, federal highway, state dot, metrocommute, roads

On Friday, April 21st, 2006, the Department of Transportation has announced the State of Louisiana will receive an additional 53 million dollars to help repair hurricane-damaged railroad signals and highways.

Louisiana is receiving an additional $53 million in federal funds to help restore railroad signals, clear roads and continue repairs to hurricane-damaged highways and bridges, U.S. Transportation Secretary Norman Y. Mineta said today.

The Department has now made over $1 billion available to Louisiana with this latest round of support, Mineta added.

The funding announced today reimburses the state for repairing railroad signals in Orleans, Jefferson and Plaquemines Parishes and additional expenses from clearing downed trees, sand and other debris from highways after the storm. The funding has been used to reopen the I-10 Twin Spans Bridge and repair or replace traffic signals, highway signs, guardrails and washed out pavement and highway shoulders.

“We will work with Louisiana until the job is done,” said Mineta. “Louisianans know they will get the support and resources they need from Washington to continue repairing roads and reopening businesses.”

Today’s funding is part of an emergency highway aid package for Gulf Coast states requested by President Bush and approved by Congress the end of last year.

In addition to providing federal dollars, Mineta said the Department of Transportation has made it easier for Louisiana to use those funds by cutting red tape and giving state officials the flexibility to get repairs underway as quickly as possible. As a result, two lanes on the Twin Spans Bridge reopened in mid-October only 47 days after its destruction by Katrina. All four lanes were restored in early January nine days ahead of schedule.

Tags: new orleans, louisiana, katrina, us, dot, bridges, commuters, emergency, highways, mineta, red tape

If you’re looking to get the latest information about transports, in Canada, one of your favorite destinations could be the Transport Canada web site which is the national online gateway to the latest news, the regulations and countless tips on various subjects.

Here’s a list of regional offices for Transport Canada:

• Pacific Region (British Columbia)
• Prairie and Northern Region (Alberta, Saskatchewan, Manitoba, Yukon, Northwest Territories and Nunavut)
• Ontario Region (Ontario)
• Quebec Region (Québec)
• Atlantic Region (New Brunswick, Prince Edward Island, Nova Scotia, and Newfoundland & Labrador)

To complement Transport Canada’s links, consider these Provincial and Territorial ministries responsible for transportation:

• Alberta – Alberta Transportation
• British Columbia – Ministry of Transportation
• Manitoba – Manitoba Transportation and Government Services
• New Brunswick – Department of Transportation
• Newfoundland and Labrador – Department of Works, Services & Transportation
• Northwest Territories – Department of Transportation
• Nova Scotia – Transportation & Public Works
• Nunavut – Community Government and Transportation
• Ontario – Ministry of Transportation
• Prince Edward Island – Transportation and Public Works
• Quebec – Transports Québec
• Saskatchewan – Highways and Transportation
• Yukon Territory – Highways and Public Works

Transportation is essential to our well-being. Canadians need a reliable, safe and sustainable transportation system to connect our communities, and to connect us with our trading partners.

Transport Canada works to help ensure that Canadians have the best transportation system by developing and administering policies, regulations and programs for a safe, efficient and environmentally friendly transportation system; contributing to Canada’s economic growth and social development; and, protecting the physical environment.

The department employs approximately 4,700 people at headquarters in Ottawa and in locations across Canada. The headquarters organization is made up of a number of groups:

• Policy overview
• Safety and Security
• Programs Group
• Corporate Services
• Departmental General Counsel
• Communications

Transport Canada takes an active role in communities across Canada. Together, Transport Canada’s groups and regions work to:

• Set policies, regulations and standards to protect the safety, security and efficiency of Canada’s rail, marine, road and air transportation systems, including the transportation of dangerous goods and sustainable development.
• Work in partnership with other federal, provincial, territorial and municipal departments and organizations, the Transportation Safety Board, the Canadian Transportation Agency, NAV CANADA, other private organizations, stakeholders, and members of the transportation industry.
• Promote and enforce departmental policies, regulations and standards through inspection, education and consultation.
• Monitor and assess the performance of the transportation system.
• Administer the transfer of ports, harbours and airports to communities and other interests and operate the facilities not yet divested.

You can get in touch with Transport Canada by calling (613) 990-2309.

Tags: transport canada, facilities, ports, harbours, airports, highways, communities, federal, provincial, territorial

The Honourable David Emerson, Minister of International Trade and Minister for the Pacific Gateway and the Vancouver-Whistler Olympics, met today in Vancouver with representatives of the Greater Vancouver Gateway Council.

Minister Emerson joined council members for a two-hour working session, following a comprehensive tour of the lower mainland component of the Pacific Gateway Region, as part of the federal government’s commitment to ongoing consultation with key private-sector and government stakeholders in the West.

“In an era of seamless global supply chains, our success in international commerce depends more than ever on efficient transportation systems and trade promotion strategies that build on our advantages in geography and transportation,” Minister Emerson said. “I am committed to moving forward with the federal government’s Pacific Gateway Initiative as we continue meaningful discussions like today’s.”

“We are making progress by working with British Columbia and other Western provinces, with the private sector and with regional and municipal levels of government to strengthen Canada’s growing capacity for global competitiveness,” the Minister added.

Captain Gordon Houston, President and CEO of the Vancouver Port Authority and chair of the gateway council, welcomed active and ongoing dialogue with the Minister on the Pacific Gateway Initiative.

“Our challenge as the Pacific Gateway region — and as a country — is to focus on issues of improved efficiency of the whole transportation system, new infrastructure projects and closely related security, trade, investment and environmental issues,” Capt. Houston said. “We are encouraged, through our discussions today with the Minister, by his commitment to this file and by the importance his government attaches to helping us meet those challenges.”

The official press release from Transport Canada is available here.

Tags: pacific gateway, vancouver port, transport canada, asia, freight, challenges, bc, naval shipping

Industry, stakeholders and members of the international community are meeting in Vancouver from April 18 to 20, 2006 to participate in the “North American Marine Conference – Towards a Shortsea Shipping Strategy for the North American Continent.”

The Minister of Transport, Infrastructure and Communities, Lawrence Cannon, will be on hand to welcome participants and give the opening address on April 19, 2006. Minister Cannon will also meet with United States and Mexican officials and key marine stakeholders on a variety of transportation related issues.

“This conference is an excellent opportunity to promote shortsea shipping as a means to improve the performance of the national transportation system and to contribute to environmental sustainability,” said Minister Cannon. “It will also serve as a public venue to discuss business opportunities and highlight obstacles related to shortsea shipping.”

Approximately 250 participants from Canada, the United States, and Mexico are expected to attend. Transport Canada is hosting this conference in collaboration with the U.S. Department of Transportation and the Secretariat of Communications and Transportation of Mexico.

The event is the result of collaboration between Canada, the United States and Mexico following the signing of a Memorandum of Cooperation on Shortsea Shipping in 2003.

The conference also represents a commitment among the three nations to increase the security, prosperity and quality of life in North America.

Shortsea shipping involves the movement of cargo or passengers by water over relatively short distances. It can occur within lakes and river systems and along coast lines. It consists mainly of domestic shipping but can also include cross-border traffic. It does not include shipping across the world’s major oceans.

Canada’s marine transportation system is a vital component of the North American economy and Transport Canada is committed to its ongoing economic vitality and efficiency. The department continues to work with its Canadian and international partners to promote more effective, efficient and sustainable shortsea shipping practices.

The official Transport Canada release is available here and more information about the event can be accessed on the official web site.

Tags: shortsea shipping, strategy, north america, partners, vitality, efficiency, canada, us, sustainable, freight

Since many T&L companies have to cater to their own installations, it’s always nice to see companies like PowerTech bringing innovative products like the PicBucket to the market.

In PowerTech’s own words:

The PicBucket percussion bucket and its accessories are revolutionizing jobsites.

The PicBucket performs a whole set of functions that used to require all sorts of equipment. It’s as effective as a conventional bucket and as powerful as a hydraulic hammer, combined into one tool. It handles the toughest materials, like concrete and frozen ground.

The PicBucket offers six actions with only one attatchment:

1. Excavation
2. Demolition
3. Prying
4. Ripping
5. Backfilling
6. Compaction

Percussive and stripping action in the same sequence…

The PicBucket makes it possible to work from all attack angles and to move material in the same work sequence. Demolition and clearing operations don’t require any change of equipment.

Reduced inventory of equipment required on the jobsite…

With PicBucket, you need less equipment and staff to handle a similar job.

Greater productivity…

Productivity is increased two ways:

1. No machinery downtime for switching from hammer to bucket: accessories are installed in an instant.
2. PicBucket’s multifunctional versatility reduces total work time by making it possible to combine operations into a single sequence.

Less roadwork interference…

When work space is limited, the PicBucket’s versatility brings added benefits with regard to the jobsite’s layout.

So all in all, the PicBucket should prove an impressive ally in all your construction works. Extensive illustrated explanations are displayed here, in PowerTech’s web site.

Tags: powertech, picbucket, construction, jobsite, machinery, downtime, benefits, frozen ground

We already travel the world but going into space has long been in the realm of dreams. Technological advances and new theories in applied sciences make it possible to hope for a future where space travel might become accessible for a wider crowd than just NASA’s astronauts.

To keep up with all the development, we present a compilation of the best space web sites available online today, covering an extensive list of themes which may prove quite interesting for the T&L professionals.

Read more to see the full list of hyperlinks…